Piston.



' Patented sept. l2, |899. w. sPENcE & J. NoLAN.

PISTON.

(Application led Apr. 12, 1899.) (No Model.)

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A TTOHNEY Nrrnn Srarns ATET FFICE@ PISTON.

SPECIFICATION formingv part of Letters Patent No. 632,950, dated September 12, 1899.

Application filed April l2, 1899. Serial No. 712,711. (No model.)

10 (t whom, t may concern:

Be it known that we, W'ATSON SPENGE and JOHNSTON NoLAN, citizens of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pistons, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to pistons for horizontal steam-cylinders, and has for its object to provide a simple and efficient construction whereby the undue wearing of the cylinder and the piston incident to the weight of the latter, particularly in large steam-engines, shall be materially reduced.

To this end the invention, as generally stated, consists in the combination, with the cylinder, of a piston having therein a novel construction and arrangement of supportingrollers,together with certain adj uncts, which will be hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure lis a sectional elevation of a piston and a portion of a cylinder embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a full transverse section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l.

A is a horizontal cylinder, and B the reciprocative piston therein. This piston coinprises the body b, with circular end heads b' detachably bolted thereto. The heads are peripherally grooved for the reception of appropriate packing-rings b2. The lower peripheral portion of the piston-body is transversely recessed, as at b3, for the reception of antifriction-rollers h4, that are suitably mounted therein, so as to bear upon the floor of the cylinder, and thus afford a rolling support for the piston in its traverse. One or more rollers may be employed, as the size and weight of the piston may determine. In the present instance two rollers are illustrated. These rollers are journaled in lateral bearing-blocks h, which are tted within the recess, so as to be vertically adjustable therein within limits, suitably-disposed setserews h6 being provided to permit the vertical adjustment of said blocks and the rollers in respect to the cylinder and piston, and thus insure the efficient working of the latter. In this case a plate D7 is arranged within These 5 5 the screws to be readily manipulated when 6o one of the heads b' is removed.

By the foregoing-described construction it will be seen that the reci procations of the piston are attended with the minimum of friction between the same and the cylinder and that therefore the otherwise undue wearing action between the piston and the door of the cylinder is materially reduced and the efticiency of the engine correspondingly increased. It will also be seen that the rollers are entirely concealed within the piston, and consequently not subjected to the direct action or pressure of the steam within the cylinder; further, that to apply, detach, or adjust the rollers it is not necessary to remove the piston from the cylinder, inasmuch as one of the heads of the piston may be unbolted and detaehed While the piston is within the cylinder and access to the rollers and their adjuncts be thereby readily effected.

We preferably arrange in the iioor of the cylinder and flush therewith a plate a, of phosphor-bronze or like metal, upon which run the supporting-rollers in the piston, which plate in the present instance is dovetailed in the cylinder, so that it (the plate) may be removed and replaced should need require.

Ve claim as our inventionl. The combination with a cylinder, of a piston havinga recess formed therein and opening upon the working surface of said cylinder, detachable means for closing said recess, and an antifriction-roller adjustably mounted within said recess" and adapted to bear upon the Working surface of the cylin- IOO upon the loorof the cylinder, substantially as described. A

3. The combination with a cylinder, of a piston having a recess in its lower portion and opening upon the iioor of said cylinder, detachable means for closing said recess, adj ustable bearing-blocks arranged in said recess and retained therein by said closing means, an antifriction-roller j ournaled in said blocks, and means for vertically adjusting said blocks, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a cylinder, of a piston having a recessjin its lower portion and opening upon the floor of said cylinder, detachable means for closing said recess, bearing-blocks arranged in said recess and retained therein by said closing means, an antifriction-roller journaled in said blocks, and set-screws bearing upon the blocks for purposes of adjustment, substantially as described.

5. The combination With a cylinder, of a piston therein having a recess or opening in its lower peripheral portion and having detachable packing-heads inclosing the ends of said recess or opening, adjustable bearingblocks in said recess or opening, an antifriction-roller j ournaled in said blocks,and means for vertically adjusting said blocks, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with a cylinder, of a piston therein having in its lower portion the recesses b3, b9, the interposed plate, 67, the bearing-blocks fitted within the recess b3, the roller or rollers journaled in said blocks, and the set-screws fitted in said plate and adapted to act upon the respective blocks, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a cylinder having in and flush with the floor thereof a longitu dinal bearing-plate, of a piston having va recess in its lower portion, and an antifrictiom roller adjustably mounted in said recess and adapted to roll upon said bearing-plate dur ing the travel of the piston, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a cylinder havingin and flush with the floor thereof a longitudinal bearing-plate, of a piston having a recess in its lower portion, adjustable bearingblocks arranged in said recess, an antifrictionroller journaled in said blocks and adapted to roll upon said bearing-plate during the travel of the piston, and means for adjusting said blocks, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we ax our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

VATSON SPENCE. JOHNSTON NOLAN. Vitnesses:

A. B. lNIoNosMI'rH, C. LEWIS. 

